Abstract
A bacteium, KP-6408, capable of hydrolyzing fibrin was isolated from Chungkook-jang, which was possibly identified as a strain of Bacillus sp. The effects of culture condition and medium composition on the enzyme production were investigated. Among nitrogen sources tested, yeast extract was the most effective for the enzyme production, and the level of the concentration for the optimal enzyme production was 0.2%(w/v). For carbon sources, glucose was the best for the enzyme production with the level of 2.0%(w/v). The enzyme was maximally produced by cultivating the enzyme production with the level of 2.0%(w/v). The enzyme was maximally produced by cultivating the organism at the liquid medium of the initial pH 8.0 and temperature of 4$0^{\circ}C$. In Chungkook-jang fermentation, the enzyme was maximally produced when incubated at 35$^{\circ}C$ for 24 hrs using soybean as a solid medium. The addition of various rice starch to the soybean in Chungkook-jang fermentation lowered the enzyme production.